Category Archives: Virtual Reality

Virtual reality has become a huge business these days. It seems that everyone is taking advantage of the improvements made to the technology. Although we think of virtual reality being a completely new form of technology, it is actually quite an old concept. The ability to have a virtual reality experience is now right within the grasp of the average person, but it was not always so accessible. Here is a look into the history of the virtual reality concept as well as the actual implications.

The First Idea

Many people will state that virtual reality concepts did not come into play until the mid-1960s, but there is an earlier concept that does not get as much attention today. The first instance of the virtual reality concept was not with modern computers or even movement, but panoramic art work that began to be popular during the era. The idea is truly the infancy of virtual reality, but we can plainly see that this is where the thought of complete submersion into alternate realities first began.

Simulation Comes into Play

These days there is not likely anyone who has never had the joy of using a simulator. These devices are used in training soldiers and even for just entertainment at amusement parks and many different venues. The first simulators were introduced in the 1920s. They were not the ingenious devices that we know of now but rather simple ways to alter the perception of reality and to allow people to feel as though they are somewhere else. This was the birth of what would be the first ever flight simulator used to train the U.S. Air Force in 1966.

The First Console

Virtual reality is all about altering the current reality in favor of something else. It now allows the user to completely immerse themselves into another world for all types of both entertainment as well as educational uses. The early forms of the technology were severely limited by the lack of technology, but during 1960, Morton Heilig developed the first ever single console device for use with virtual reality. The bonus to this device was not only could the user see the alternate reality, but it was in tune with all senses the experience was one of true virtual reality where the user could smell and hear everything going on.

The Headset

Ost people these days only see virtual reality as the headsets that have become so popular. The first head set was called Headsight and it was developed by an engineering corporation called Philco Corporation. The development was originally intended for use in dangerous endeavors. The situation could be monitored via a closed-circuit television system without putting the lives of humans in jeopardy.

The headset was further enhanced in 1965 to allow for more realism by Ivan Sutherland. The original concept was far from portable as the headset was tethered to the computer, but the concept was remarkably visionary of today’s virtual reality. The user was able to not only see the images in real time images, but even manipulate certain objects within the scene. The main drawback to this system was the fact that it was quite heavy and had to be suspended in the air by cables so as not to crush the user.

Government Agencies

The government has looked to the significance of virtual reality since the 1960s, but as the technology advanced into the 1980s, government agencies increased their use of virtual reality. The uses were endless and the technology was used to help NASA train for space missions and the national defense department train agents before they were put into the field. The military as well as major airlines utilized virtual reality and ultimately saved many lives as the risk of injury was significantly reduced.

Media Attention

It was not until the 1990’s that the mainstream media began talking about virtual reality and all the implications it might have on the general public. The problem was that the claims that the media made as to what virtual reality could be used for were far more advanced than what the technology at the time was able to accomplish. Therefore, there was an extreme drop off from virtual reality during that time, but luckily for us, some people still worked to improve the technology and virtual reality systems of today are truly remarkable devices that everyone can own.

Today we have the ability to have virtual reality in the palm of our hands without being tethered to a computer or having to use a device attached to the ceiling for support. The technology has come a long way, but you can bet that in the near future we will see virtual reality taken to an even higher level as more intuitive systems are invented. – Anthony Tornambe

The unique and amazing technology that is virtual reality has given us so much especially in recent years that it is hard to believe that it could advance even further, but like all forms of technology there is always someone looking for the next thing to do with it and with virtual reality, that is an endless stream of opportunity to impact the individual, industry, and the world as a whole. Here are some of the ideas of where virtual reality could be headed to in the future.

A Reduction in Sedatives

The medical uses for VR are mind boggling. We have already seen where the technology allows for help with surgeries and even allow for remote access to surgery rooms, but apart from some therapy sessions utilizing virtual reality, there is little it has so far accomplished within the mental health world, but that is all set to change here very shortly and due to a unique study.

Anxiety medications are on the rise these days. It is estimated that roughly $40 million Americans suffer from some form of anxiety disorder at some point within their lives. That is a staggering number especially when you account for the fact that 86% of patients do not seek medications to manage their disorder. Anxiety medications are meant to allow the body to relax in stressful situations and allow the patient to better cope with some of life’s ongoing problems.

Anthony Tornambe‘s New research shows that submersion into an alternate reality with virtual reality allows for patients to slow their heart rate far more effectively than with standard anxiety medication. One of the most prevalent studies has already been done in Mexico with the help of Jose Luis Mosso Vazquez. Vazquez is not a surgeon by any means but he has worked alongside them when patients come in for surgery. Instead of relying on some of the standard sedation tactics with their unreliable side effects, Vazquez affixes a virtual reality headset to the patient to completely submerge them into an environment that assists in calming them down. The blood pressure of the patients who have undergone the process have been reported to be remarkably low and the bonus is that the person does not have to contend with the possibility of not waking up from sedation that can bring about additional anxiety.

It may seem as though this type of anxiety treatment would not be available to be adapted to all situations, but it is the complete submersion into the alternate reality that allows the person to cope with general circumstances. There may come a day that instead of doctors offering patients a sedative to reduce anxiety symptoms, the doctor prescribes a series of VR sessions or the use of VR during the onset of anxiety. The future is here and we may begin to see the end of streams of anxiety medication being poured into society.

Nanotechnology

When people begin talk of nanotechnology they seem to think of futuristic Si-Fi movies in which the person is injected with supposed smart nanobots and the machines inadvertently take over the human subject. Nanotechnology however is not just about the Si-Fi applications in movies. The technology is now being explored in the world of VR. Most of the virtual reality situations allow for some manipulation of objects, but they are quite limited. There is however one futuristic possibility that is being explored currently by Anthony Tornambe.

Foglets are a 3-dimensional object that is basically a nanobot. The technology is still in its infancy as the production of these objects are quite expensive due to the specialized equipment required to build them. The Foglet allows for many to be joined together and can be manipulated into an endless stream of larger objects making the virtual world truly virtual with the ability to control and interact with the surroundings just like in a live environment. It is likely that this form of technology will take a considerable amount of time to develop properly and even more so to come to the general public market, but it can and will transform the VR world like nothing else once they pin down the production aspect.

Virtual reality is an ingenious invention. We have seen the technology grow from basically nothing more than an idea to already unbelievable heights and with each passing year, more research and development is done into the possibilities of VR. The uses of the technology to help human kind and also provide a little entertainment for the masses is something that is truly remarkable and even though you may believe that virtual reality technology has gone as far as it can go, just remember that people once thought that about the invention of the phone and even when computers first came to market. There is always room to grow technology and we will see great things from VR in the future. – Anthony Tornambe